EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION OF MICRONUTRIENTS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF AONLA (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.) cv. NEELUM (NA-7)
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Date
2017-06
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University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot (COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE, GKVK POST, BENGALURU)
Abstract
The major problem associated with Aonla (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.), a minor subtropical fruit crop, suitable for rain-fed horticulture, which is a most sought after fruit for ayurvedic preparations, is the incidence of fruit drop which reaches up to 80 per cent of fruit set. In this context, an investigation was taken up during the year 2016-17 at Regional Horticultural Research and Extension Centre, Bengaluru, to exploit the possibility of reducing the incidence of fruit drop and enhancing the fruit yield and quality through foliar application of micronutrients in aonla cultivar Neelum (NA-7). The study revealed that the foliar spray of micronutrient combination of 0.5 % ZnSO4 + 0.5 % FeSO4 + 0.25 % Borax recorded the maximum increment in growth parameters such as plant height (0.79 m), plant spread (0.9 and 0.92 m in East-West and North-South directions respectively), stem diameter (4.73 cm) and reproductive parameters such as reduced incidence of fruit drop (45.60 %) resulting in increased fruit retention (53.73 %). Further, the said combination of micronutrients was also associated with highest fruit weight (43.69 g), pulp weight (43.03 g) and yield (24.96 kg/plant). The yield was almost double as compared to control resulting in higher benefit: cost ratio (3.60). The quality parameters of fruits such as higher total sugar (4.94 %), reducing sugar (3.01 %) and non-reducing sugar (1.93 %) content of fruits was significantly improved without reducing the vitamin C (483.71 mg/100 g) with the same treatment combination. Hence, the above said micronutrient combination holds immense potential as a foliar spray in arresting fruit drop and doubling up the yield and improving quality in aonla.